A levy that supports Vashon schools is up for renewal, and islanders should expect to see a ballot with the measure in their mailboxes next week.

The Educational Programs and Operations Levy funds what its name indicates, including teachers’ salaries, special education and instructional programs. The levy is not a new tax on islanders, but a replacement for the four-year maintenance and operations levy, which will expire in December. The deadline to vote is Feb. 13.

District leaders, including Superintendent Michael Soltman, stress that the money the levy brings in is essential to the district.

“The levy continues to fund programs that that are not provided by state funding, but our community expects,” he said last week.

Information he provided indicates the funds will support a variety of positions and services, including the following:

• The costs of meeting special education students’ educational needs mandated by state and federal law;

• Training and professional development of faculty and staff;

• Paraprofessionals, school secretaries and counseling support;

• Extracurricular programs sports and field trips;

• Keeping schools and grounds safe, functional and clean;

• Paying qualified substitute teachers; and

• Arts and music programs, advanced placement courses and enrichment programs.

School funding has been in the news repeatedly over the course of the last several months, especially when the state Legislature passed a budget last summer that raised property taxes to support public education. That action was in response to the Washington State Supreme Court’s “McCleary Decision,” which mandated that the state fully fund public education. District officials, however, describe this new funding model as a “work in progress” and say that all of the state’s public school districts are still dependent on local levies to continue offering their current level of programming. On Vashon, Soltman said that levy funds make up nearly 20 percent of the district’s operating budget. In 2018, that is nearly $4.3 million out of approximately $22 million.

The provision — called Proposition 1 on the ballot — allows for the district to collect up to nearly $4.6 million in 2019, $4.8 million in 2020, $5 million in 2021 and $5.3 million in 2022. Soltman noted that unlike the park and fire districts, for which islanders vote on a levy rate, the school district’s levy is for a specific amount. While the estimated rate to bring in those amounts is $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value, the actual rates over the life of the levy will be determined by local property values. The district’s estimated annual cost to taxpayers with a $500,000 home is $750 each year.

This levy, although carrying a new name this year, has been in place on the island for decades. In previous election years, however, the state funding picture has been far more clear than it currently is, with legislators in Olympia still addressing funding issues. In response, the district has promised islanders that if the Legislature provides additional school funding, the legislation would roll back levies that pass this year. Moreover, Vashon’s school board members have promised to reduce the amount collected if state funding would be increased to cover current operating program costs. School board chair Zabette Macomber stressed this point.

“If the Legislature fully funds education, we will not go to the full $1.50,” she said.

Macomber acknowledged that the current funding picture for Washington schools is complicated, but she, like Soltman, stressed the importance of the levy.

“The takeaway is this is a renewal, and it is really critical to us. It is as critical as it has always been,” she said. “The levy supports things that are crucial.”

Vashon has a long history of passing school levies but has pulled together a committee of about 20 islanders to get the word out about this year’s levy and vote. Their work will be visible in the coming weeks, and three of them — Anne Atwell, Tami Brockway Joyce and Kevin Joyce — submitted the “pro” statement for the voters’ pamphlet. Islander Jeff Schnelz wrote the statement against passing it.

A simple majority is needed for the levy to pass; should it fail, Macomber said the board would hold another election later this year.

“Vashon has been incredibly supportive of levies — we are really fortunate,” she added. “I think people really understand how important they are to the schools.”

King County Elections will mail ballots on Jan. 24. They must be postmarked or dropped off in the ballot box by the Vashon Library by Feb. 13.